Since Pine’s (1993) seminal work, much has been written about mass customization (MC). However, existing studies focus mainly on B2C markets, paying far less attention to B2B. This is striking because early examples of MC include business markets, which differ from consumer markets in many respects. For instance, business customers have always profited from individualized offers. MC is, therefore, not about increasing output diversity while maintaining cost advantages of mass production. It is rather the opposite, i.e., maintaining the established degree of individualization while moving from made-to-order production to more and more standardized (supposedly IT-based) co-creation process. Our chapter provides insight into the current challenges for introducing MC on B2B markets. It uses service-dominant logic as a framework of analysis. We analyze in particular to what extent the creation and perception of customer value differs between B2C and B2B markets. Avenues for future research are proposed.

Der vorliegende Beitrag geht der Frage nach, inwieweit Geschäftsmodellentwicklung eine Strategie zur Überwindung von Marktversagen in der Assekuranz darstellt. Insbesondere soll gezeigt werden, dass eine Abkehr von der klassischen Beziehung zwischen Versichertem und Versicherer auf Basis eines bilateralen Vertrags neue Märkte eröffnet und mit neuartigen P2P-Geschäftsmodellen bislang nicht-versicherbare Risiken abgesichert werden können. Als empirisches Feld wurde die Absicherung von Wildschäden gewählt, da es sich aktuell um einen Bereich handelt, in dem Marktversagen vorliegt. Auf Basis von 16 episodischen Interviews mit Vertretern der Gemeinschaft der Jäger werden Bedürfnisstrukturen und relevante Kontextfaktoren aufgedeckt und im Hinblick auf Risikoabsicherung und Schadenmanagement zwischen den Communitymitgliedern analysiert. Dieser Beitrag stellt somit eine Gegenposition zum traditionellen Versicherungsgeschäft dar, bei der die Absicherung auf einem großen und diversifizierten Risikokollektiv beruht.

In this paper we iestigate the use of virtual objects for knowledge exchange in communities. Information systems provide a wide range of new (virtual) objects for community members which support non-canonical collaboration required for knowledge creation [1,2]. From a sociological perspective these objects are means to cross knowledge boundaries in communities [3]. In our study we extend this aspect by a technical perspective of how virtual objects effectively facilitate activities of knowledge creation. Media Synchronicity Theory [4] proposes how to best accomplish communication performance. It predicts that to achieve effective communication, the two primary communication strategies of coeyance of information and coergence on meaning need to be supported. Building upon this discussion, we examine the use of virtual objects in a dynamic process of knowledge creation. We will draw conclusions on how to appropriately use virtual objects for communication. Our empirical study is based on multiple cases [5] of knowledge communities. Qualitative data has been gathered from the participants of six focused group discussions conducted on a virtual whiteboard which comprises a media choice to interact in real time. The results detail information on the actual use (and not use) of virtual objects (media) for knowledge creation. Based on our findings we empirically confirm the core propositions of Media Synchronicity Theory. We conclude with managerial recommendations on how to employ virtual objects for increasing the effectiveness of dynamic processes of knowledge creation.

In mass customization, customer co-design is the process in which customers and business providers collaboratively map the personal requirements of customers into design specifications for individualized products. Whether this process is realized in-store or entirely via the internet, efficient systems for customer co-design are the linchpin to leveraging mass customization. The increasing proliferation of digital media at this customer interface calls for a better understanding of media impact on the co-design process. Hence, the goal of this study is to explore the impact of digital media on customers’ perceived value in processes of co-design. We employ social presence theory for an in-depth analysis of six mass customization providers’ co-design processes. Data was collected through web-based documentary research, participant observation, semi-structured expert interviews and two focus groups with customers. Three key challenges are identified and explored: (1) Encouraging discovery addresses the issue that digital media tend to limit discovery yield. (2) Fostering creativity addresses the issue that digital media are better in supporting creative achievement. (3) Facilitating reinforcement addresses the issue that digital media tend to under-serve the need for direct human feedback and enjoyment. Mass customizers need to thoughtfully manage the level of social presence in the co-design process, i.e., by providing spaces of low social presence to foster creativity in-store, and by providing high social presence offers to foster positive

Es ist bekannt, dass Kaufabsicht und Kaufentscheidung in großem Maße vom empfundenen Wert eines Angebots abhängen. Ein hoher empfundener Wert und die passende Preisgestaltung sind Mittel, um neue Märkte zu erschließen, Stammkunden zu halten und sich nachhaltig von der Konkurrenz abzugeben. Doch woraus setzt sich der empfundene Wert bzw. der Kundennutzen einer Individualisierungsleistung zusammen?_x000D_ <div class="indent">